Bright Morning Stars: A The Walking Dead Game Short Story
by thewalkingliability
Summary: In the midst of separation, Luke, Nick, Sarah, and Clementine attempt to find comfort in each other's company.


Luke peered out to the forest beyond him. The trees stitched into the night and carried the muted sound of the river's waves from below. Luke gripped his rifle and let its weight tap the car roof. He lumped his shoulders away from Nick. Nick peered up at Luke, his body was leaning up against the rusted truck and his arms and chin rested upon its roof. His face hardened like the cut boulders by the river's edge. "Look, I told you," Luke whispered "If I want you to take watch, I'll tell you. You need your sleep if we wanna wake up at daybreak. "

"You're the one who's not gonna get any sleep sitting on top of a car all damn night. I'm just trying to help you, asshole."

"Look, I appreciate the offer but-"

A gentle cry leapt from behind. "Shit." Luke exclaimed. They both glanced back to their camp. Three worn out cars surrounded the two girls nestled near a fat tree stump. "Sarah? Clem? Y'all okay?" Luke hopped over the truck, his feet hit like hammers nailing the ground. Nick rushed over to Sarah who stood hunched over by a patch of grass.

"It's Clementine. I think she's having a bad dream." Sarah said.

Nick knelt down and rubbed the little girl's shoulders up and down. "Hey, kid. Clem wake up." He leaned in closer. Clementine's eyes lay shut. She wrestled against Nick's arms as he moved her back and forth like a rocking chair. The girl came into consciousness with each push; with each push, her fists were tighter and her arms more tense. She moaned out a symphony of "no" that rose with the force of her arms until a crescendo reached Nick's face and knocked him back. Clementine sat up, her body was swept up with the adrenaline flowing through her. She gasped for breath as if she was drowning. "Fuck!" Nick blared, he clenched his hand to his nose "The little fucker socked me."

"Well, it serves you right for waking her up like that, asshole." Luke snapped. Nick turned away from them and huddled next to a car. Luke glanced back at Clementine, his face softened. "Hey, it's alright. _Shhh_. You're alright." he whispered.

"It's going to be okay, Clementine." assured Sarah. Clementine's breath lowered.

"You doin' alright?" Luke asked, "Were you having a nightmare?" She swung her head towards Luke with furrowed brow and glaring eyes.

"No, I'm fine. There's nothing to worry about."

"You're not scared?" inquired Sarah.

"No."

"Are you sure?" said Nick.

Sarah plopped to the ground and sprawled her legs to the side. Her right arm supported her weight and arched out towards Luke and Clementine. She gave her companions a muddled frown. Her left hand sifted through blades of grass, spiraling them around her fingers until she reached their base and plucked them from the earth.

"I'm fine," Clementine remarked. She lifted her head up and imagined that the truck had disappeared so her eyes could wash in the rocky river's shore.

"Well," Luke spoke, letting his breath blow out into the still air "if you did have a bad dream- now come on, don't look at me like that. I'm not saying you did but, if it was me well, I wouldn't mind some company right about now." Luke glanced at Sarah whose face sank towards the blades of grass. "How're you doing, Sarah? You doing okay?"

"Yeah, I just miss my dad." She pulled out another blade of grass.

"I know you do. As soon as it's light enough we're going to go out and find him and the others, I promise." Sarah nodded her head in response. "Better get some shut eye. Sarah, why don't you stay a bit closer to Clem. I don't want you two to get separated if Nick's gonna keep wandering around." The three gleamed back at Nick leaning against the car wall, dabbing blood off his nose with the front of his shirt. He looked up and acknowledged them with a sniffle. Luke took a seat on the tree stump next to the girls."Sure would be nice if we had a nightlight right about now." Clementine frowned.

"I'm not a baby, Luke," she groaned.

"No. No, you're not." Luke smiled.

"Here," Sarah reached into her pocket and pulled out a thin white candle. "It was from the cabin." Sarah's fingers dug into a patch of dirt next to the stump. She twisted the candle into the earth and patted a firm ring around it. Luke plucked out a match from the matchbox in his pocket. He leaned down and lit the candle. Sarah watched her modest relic flicker with pride. Her smile glowed in the light.

The four sat in the murmur of the river laps. Out among the trees, the lit candle looked like a firefly trapped inside a jar of cars.

Luke lifted his face up to the sky and inhaled the night. Clementine laid down on her stomach and propped her head up to Luke with her hand. Nick faced the light, and stared down at his feet. He let his hands rub and rest on his knees. "Look at those stars," Luke exclaimed "Wow. Don't really notice them much when you're runnin' around do you?" It was if mother nature's hand had brushed Luke's chin. Her gentle touch made him light enough to float away into the starry distance.

Sarah tilted her head and joined Luke in his reverie. "There was this book I read once," she said. "The people in it thought that when they died, they'd become a star and look down over the earth." Clementine flipped over and felt the forest floor on her back. Sarah nestled in beside her, laying her head on Clementine's side. As if to answer Sarah, Luke's lips poured out a melody.

_Bright morning stars are rising_

_Bright morning stars are rising_

_Bright morning stars are rising_

_Day is a-breaking in my soul_

Clementine sipped in Luke's voice like hot chocolate in February. If it had a smell, its scent would be made of honey and pine. If she could touch it, her fingertips would feel the creases of red autumn leaves. Sarah pointed out to a bold star blinking in tempo to Luke's song, a smaller star stood beside it admiring the tune. "Look," Sarah said. "See that one up there? I think it looks a lot like Pete."

_Oh, where are our dear fathers?_

_Oh where are our dear fathers?_

Nick raised his head up to the girls, his eyes softened. His face blended into the candlelight. Nick caught a glimpse of the pair of twinkling lights above him and sighed. He let his body anchor him down to the sea of grass and pine needles. His chin sunk into his crossed arms and faced straight ahead.

_They're down in the valley a-praying_

_Day is a-breaking in my soul_

Sarah curled up into a ball with a muddled expression on her face. She shrugged herself closer to Clementine's side. Her mouth gaped open with a yawn and as it closed, her eyes fell into the night.

_Oh, where are our dear mothers?_

_Oh, where are our dear mothers?_

Nick tugged the brim of his hat. He shielded himself away from the candle's glow. A breeze rushed through the leaves and joined Luke in harmony.

_They're gone to heaven a-shouting_

_Day is a-breaking in my soul_

Clementine looked out at the cluster of stars. With each star her eyes glossed over, she found the flicker of faded lives she once knew.

_Oh, where are our dear mothers?_

_Oh, where are our dear mothers?_

She could see them all. Shawn. Mark. Duck and Katjaa. Chuck. Ben. Omid and the baby. Mom. Dad.

_They are gone to heaven a-shouting_

_Day is a-breaking in my soul_

Clementine's eyes sank to sleep with a whisper,_ "Lee."_

Luke shifted his weight back down to earth and let out a sigh. He reached down and saw the two girls huddled together in somber slumber. Luke blew out the dripping candle. He gave a weary smile to the ground. "It's funny. I remember my m-" Luke turned to Nick. Nick stared back at him waiting. Silence swooped into the forest for a moment. Luke rubbed his hands against his lap. "Hey, y'know Nick, maybe you should keep watch for awhile. In fact, maybe we should just sleep in for a bit. I uh, I-I'm not feelin' too good right now." his voiced cracked.

Nick nodded. "Sure, man. Sure." They both stood on their feet and glanced at each other. Nick reached out for Luke's hand. Luke clasped it with his right hand and raised his left over Nick's shoulder. Nick patted Luke's back. Luke released his grip and set himself down by the car where Nick had been. Nick picked up the rifle and started to patrol the perimeter around the cars. The wind, the river, and the crumpled mix of forest floor he stepped on kept him company.

He lead himself down to the river's edge and sat on a smooth boulder. Nick watched the river run past him. He rubbed the rifle with his finger tips and set it down on his lap. He curved his gaze up to the sky. The sun's early morning light kissed the night and finger painted it in hues of deep purples and blues. The night's candles burned on. They stared back at Nick. He looked down at his feet. His body shook in tandem with his choppy breath. His eyes were red and puffed up like clouds. Tears twinkled and sparkled their way down Nick's face like the bright morning stars up above. He could see Uncle Pete. He could see-

_"Mom."_


End file.
